The 10 men of Roma rescued a point against Juventus as the Giallorossi clung desperately to their Scudetto hopes with a 1-1 draw at the Stadio Olimpico last night.
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Despite seeing Vasilis Torosidis sent off and Carlos Tevez score from the resulting free-kick, Seydou Keita’s header ensured Rudi Garcia’s men secured a battling draw against the Serie A champions elect.
Still, Roma effectively saw their title ambitions torched as Juve maintained their nine-point lead at the top of the table with 13 games remaining.
Argentinian Tevez scored his 15th top-flight goal of the season to ensure Juve maintained a commanding advantage over their second-placed opponents.
The destination of the title still lies very much in the hands of Bianconeri, who remain on course for a fourth-straight triumph. Their current run of three successive Scudettos is only bettered in club history by the five consecutive titles they won between 1931 and 1935.
It was a war of attrition in Turin, with no less than eight players finding their way into referee Daniele Orsato’s notebook. Despite the lack of goal-mouth action in the first half it was the visitors who carried the greater threat – even though they were shorn of the talents of midfield creators Paul Pogba and Andrea Pirlo.
The game burst into life though just after the hour when Torosidis – one of the Giallorossi’s trio of Greece defenders – saw red after collecting a second booking for tripping Arturo Vidal.
His dismissal turned into a Greek tragedy minutes later when Tevez made him and Roma pay the ultimate price, curling in a delightful free-kick beyond the pedestrian gaze of a motionless Morgan De Sanctis.
Juve won an entertaining reverse encounter in Turin in October, Leonardo Bonucci scoring an 86thminute winner for the Old Lady, but this time it was Roma who sparked late drama.
Roma still without a win at the Olimpico since late November
— James Horncastle (@JamesHorncastle) March 2, 2015
The dismissal galvanised the hosts and they soon forced Gianluigi Buffon into his first save, Konstantinos Manolas’ header turned behind.
The 10 men were level with 12 minutes to go. Keita, Roma’s best performer on the night, rose to meet Alessandro Florenzi’s freekick and despite Claudio Marchisio’s best efforts he could not prevent the ball crossing the line.
Roma then looked more likely to score a winner, but it finished a point a piece.
